Odd suggestion from vet.

trumpetjock · 01-22-2008, 11:10 AM

So, when I had Rocky in for his round of vaccinations and his urinalysis, the vet asked what food I was feeding, so I told her Canidae ALS. Well, she didn't do the cliche thing and tell me to get on science diet, but she DID recommend going on a large breed puppy formula because the phosphorous balance was better for growing pups. Now... I've done a fair bit of research on what to feed, and most all the info I've found has led me to the conclusion that most large breed puppy foods have way too much calcium, and in many cases too much protein.

I'm by no means an expert, but I was a bit taken aback by this, especially since Norwegian Elkhounds, at 50ish pounds, aren't a large breed. If anyone has any insight into this it would be greatly appreciated.

Pawper · 01-22-2008, 11:43 AM

I wouldnt really consider a 50 pounder a large breed either....If I were you, I would go on a grainless dog food that is for all stages, puppy through adulthood. Look up Wellness, I think that they have a great LifeStages blend that is safe for your dogs young years and beyond......but whatever you do DO NOT get on Science Diet

trumpetjock · 01-22-2008, 11:49 AM

Yeah, I wouldn't ever let my dog touch science diet. I'm on canidae ALS right now, but a grainless would be nice to move to. Any suggestions on a grainless with low enough protein/calcium for a puppy?

Pawper · 01-22-2008, 11:54 AM

go to dogfoodanalysis.com for a quick overview...it can point you in the right direction......Look up Wellness Core (i dont know if its on dogfoodanalysis or not...google it! ) I believe its grainless and it an all stages food if Im not mistaken....

cascabel · 01-22-2008, 12:31 PM

You can't (or really, really shouldn't) give wellness core to a puppy. Even the company specifies that it isn't for dogs under 1 years old. The mineral content is way too high. It's not just about the balance, but also the amount and many grainless foods tend to have a high mineral content. Canidae ALS is a great food for growing pups, so I wouldn't worry about what your vet said with the large breed formulas.

AkiraleShiba · 01-22-2008, 12:37 PM

I know Orijen has a large breed puppy food but I am not aware of the composition.

cascabel · 01-22-2008, 01:07 PM

Even orijen's large breed puppy formula is high in mineral content unfortunately.

trumpetjock · 01-22-2008, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkiraleShiba

I know Orijen has a large breed puppy food but I am not aware of the composition.

It's a heck of a lot more appropriate than wellness... It has 1.4% calcium as compared to wellnesses 3%. I may take a look into Orijen, both their large breed and standard puppy formulas are really good looking products.

cascabel · 01-22-2008, 01:14 PM

1.4 is the minimum. The calcium is actually between 1.4 and 1.6% (which is pretty high even for a medium calorie large breed puppy food). I love Orijen for a grown pup (they do make a fantastic product), but I'm just not convinced with regards to a large breed. What would help even more (b/c it's more individualized) is if you wanted to crunch the numbers would be knowing the actual amounts of Ca and Ph being given per day to your specific pup as compared between the two foods. Just something to consider.

GreatDaneMom · 01-22-2008, 03:22 PM

i dont know if i would consider him a large breed. maybe a medium. anywho. if youre looking for a large breed puppy food, maybe you might want to look into Eagle Pack Holistic Selects Large and Giant Breed Puppy. it has 1.1% calcium, and .8% phosphorus. i just wanted to put another possiblility out there for you. i personally feed it, and love it. my two danes thrive on it.
also i just wanted to add, i dont care for the grainless foods too much. i havent heard many dogs to well on them, and also i dont think its very appropriate for a growing pup.

trumpetjock · 01-22-2008, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatDaneMom

also i just wanted to add, i dont care for the grainless foods too much. i havent heard many dogs to well on them, and also i dont think its very appropriate for a growing pup.

Thanks for the suggestion. As far as grainless goes, I've heard the same thing from many people about it, that their dogs haven't done well. But I've also heard of dogs doing swimmingly on it. Either way though, I'm planning on moving him to a raw diet once he gets out of puppy stage and I have a bit more time on my hands to properly research and prepare it. I'm just looking for the best I can do for him in the meantime.

Amberjam · 01-22-2008, 07:44 PM

look into Taste of the Wild, its for all stages and rated very high on doogfoodanalysis.com and its grainless!

GreatDaneMom · 01-23-2008, 10:32 AM

the problem i have with grainless is that the protein content is typically through the roof, usually around 40%, which is WAY too much for a pup. you really want to keep it around 23%. personally, i wouldnt be too concerned about grainless, if grains bother you that bad (i know how you feel, im the same way) stick to a food that has no corn or wheat, and higher grade grains. if its because of allergies that grains bother you, corn and wheat are your ingredients most likely to have a reaction to, so leaving those out will help you avoid that. if its bloat that bothers you, having a food that contains high grade grains will help prevent that because the food will not expand as much when it is put into water. im happy to hear that you would like to feed raw, but make sure you do all your research so that he gets a complete and balanced diet!

trumpetjock · 01-23-2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatDaneMom

im happy to hear that you would like to feed raw, but make sure you do all your research so that he gets a complete and balanced diet!

Yeah, that's why I'm not doing it yet. I feel like right now, the hours of research I'd have to do to make sure I balance everything are better spent socializing/training. Once he's out of puppyhood, I'm going to really dig down, research and make some contacts for raw. Thanks for all the advice guys, all things considered, I think I'm going to just stay on Canidae ALS, it has lowish calcium, standard protein, really good ingredients and high quality grains. If I'm slow on the uptake to raw once he's full grown, I'll probably switch to something a bit higher grade, but for now Canidae it is!

Ginny01OT · 01-23-2008, 02:37 PM

I consider my standard poodle a large breed dog, he is about 55 pounds. I used Innova large breed puppy food in addition to raw until he was about a year old--I would be careful of some of the grainless foods as calcium levels could be high--therefore, bones grow bigger, quicker which could lead to joint problems.

If you have a breed of dog with a propensity to hip/joint problems, it is worth researching and considering